Peer Support Specialist

Position Overview: Sprout Therapy PDX is seeking a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) to join our collaborative, values-driven team. The Peer Support Specialist provides Peer Delivered Services (PDS) to Sprout clients with Oregon Health Plan (OHP) coverage, using their own lived experience with mental health or substance use recovery to offer hope, encouragement, and practical support.

Peer Support Specialists help clients navigate recovery, build coping skills, and connect with community resources—bridging the gap between traditional clinical care and real-world support. This role is a vital part of Sprout’s commitment to person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care.

This is a part-time position, requiring at least 15 hours per week of direct peer support services plus additional administrative time as assigned. There is an opportunity to grow to full time if desired. The schedule is flexible, with pay starting at $20–25/hour, depending on experience and certification.

Reports to: Clinical Director and Clinical Administrator

Peer Support and Recovery Services

• Provide individual and group Peer Delivered Services (PDS) consistent with OHA guidelines.
• Use lived experience to inspire hope, model recovery, and build trusting, mutual relationships with clients.
• Support clients in developing skills for wellness, symptom management, and daily living.
• Offer education on recovery tools, coping strategies, and self-advocacy.
• Assist clients in navigating community systems such as housing, healthcare, education, and social services.
• Encourage clients to identify and work toward personal recovery goals in a self-directed, empowering way.
• Support social connection and reduce isolation by helping clients engage with peer and community supports.
• Coordinate care with Sprout clinicians and administrative team members to ensure wraparound support.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and supervision sessions.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries and uphold the ethics and values of the peer role.
• Communicate clearly and compassionately with clients, team members, and external partners.
• Document all services accurately and timely in accordance with OHA and Sprout Therapy PDX standards.
• Ensure all services meet Medicaid medical necessity and appropriateness requirements.
  
  
  
• Follow Sprout policies and compliance standards related to confidentiality, fraud, waste, and abuse prevention.
• Participate in ongoing supervision and training to maintain certification and best practices in peer-delivered care.

General Practice Management:

• Stay highly organized.

• High attention to detail and ability to prioritize various projects independently.
• Passion for working with others (being collaborative) and helping our team members grow and learn.

• Ability to accept and provide straight-forward feedback to leadership and clinical team members.
• Be a problem solver and think ahead to ensure any challenges don’t greatly impact progress or outcomes for clients, clinicians, and employees
• Ability to set goals and develop achievable timelines to hit them. 

• Passion for working with others (being collaborative) and helping our team members grow and learn.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications and Skills: 

Required:

• Certified Peer Support Specialist (PSS), Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS), or Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM) through the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) or MHACBO.
• Eligible for registration as a Traditional Health Worker (THW) in Oregon.
• Demonstrated lived experience with mental health and/or substance use recovery, with at least two years of sustained wellness.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to engage respectfully with diverse populations.
• Ability to document accurately and maintain confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA.
• Commitment to Sprout Therapy PDX’s mission of ethical, affirming, and inclusive care.
  
  
  

Preferred:

• Experience working in behavioral health, community mental health, or peer-run environments.
• Knowledge of OHP systems, Medicaid billing, and behavioral health documentation requirements.
• Bilingual or bicultural competence (Spanish or ASL preferred).

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting, computer use, and/or client meetings.
• Occasional local travel for outreach or community support (valid driver’s license preferred).
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds as needed.

Sprout Therapy PDX is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require accommodations, please contact Leadership to discuss your needs.

Sprout Therapy PDX is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. In addition, Sprout Therapy PDX complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has employees. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Please note that this job description is not intended to be a contract, implied or otherwise, and may be revised or updated at any time at the discretion of Sprout Therapy PDX. Employment with Sprout Therapy PDX is at-will, meaning that both the employee and Sprout Therapy PDX have the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice.